Nasopharyngeal Swabs vs. Nasal Aspirates for Respiratory Virus Detection: A Systematic Review.

Nasal pathogen detection sensitivities can be as low as 70% despite advances in molecular diagnostics. This may be linked to the choice of sampling method. A diagnostic test accuracy review for sensitivity was undertaken to compare sensitivity of swabbing to the nasopharynx and extracting nasal aspirates, using the PRISMA protocol, Cochrane rapid review methodology, and QUADAS-2 risk of bias tools, with meta-analysis of included studies.

Trainee-trainer outcomes in mastoid surgery: a comparative study.

Background: Mastoid exploration remains an advanced, mainstay operation within ENT, in which the surgical trainees' role has been debated. This audit compares mastoid exploration outcomes between trainees and consultants.

Methods: Cortical mastoidectomy, atticotomy, atticoantrostomy, modified radical mastoidectomy, combined-approach tympanoplasty and revision mastoidectomy operations performed between 2009 and 2020 were reviewed.

Developing critical appraisal and evidence synthesis skills in future microbiologists.

The Covid-19 pandemic has demanded modifications to undergraduates' learning experiences and promised a more challenging scientific world in which they will live. Bespoke evidence synthesis and critical appraisal skills modules are an opportunity to utilize our information-saturated world to our advantage. This program of study made use of a virtual journal club, structured literature searches, scoping review methods and a variety of online research tools to navigate and critique the literature.

Adam Brown Kelly and his operating chair.

Background: Adam Brown Kelly, well known for lending his name to Paterson-Brown Kelly syndrome, is steeped in the early history of otolaryngology. To date, little light has been shone on his contributions to the specialty in that exciting period and to his home town of Glasgow.

Method: A historical review of his life and times was undertaken based on surviving accounts of his life, published work and archived memoirs.

Retrospective longitudinal study of visual acuity change in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

Purpose: To determine the extent that clinically evident macular lesions in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) help to establish their prognosis for visual acuity (VA) retention.

Methods: The records of 182 patients with RP were reviewed. The macular lesion status at the initial examination was determined to be no lesion, a bull's-eye atrophic lesion, or a geographic atrophic lesion.

Successful transplantation of kidneys from a donor with HELLP syndrome-related death.

We report on the successful use of kidneys procured from a donor with HELLP syndrome. The use of organs from a donor with HELLP syndrome has not been reported previously, perhaps because of the renal complications associated with it. Both recipients have been doing well since renal transplantation, with immediate graft function and acceptable graft function at 2 years of follow-up.

Anterior chamber angle anomalies associated with signs of pigment dispersion in a group of black probands and their first-degree relatives.

Purpose: To evaluate the presence of iridocorneal angle anomalies associated with signs of pigment dispersion among a group of black probands and their first-degree relatives.

Methods: Eleven blacks who exhibited pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) signs, including Krukenberg's spindles, moderate-to-heavy trabecular meshwork pigmentation, and peripheral lenticular/zonular pigmentation, received a complete eye examination that included gonioscopy. Overt iridocorneal angle abnormalities other than pigment deposition were photo-documented.

The Dielectrophoretic Behavior of Submicron Latex Spheres: Influence of Surface Conductance.

An analysis of the dielectrophoretic crossover frequency as a function of medium conductivity has been made for submicron spheres with different surface functionalities. It is shown that the AC electrokinetic behavior of the particles can be explained by modeling the surface conductivity of the particle as the sum of two surface conductance components: one due to charge motion behind the slip plane (the Stern layer) and the other due to charge motion in front of the slip plane. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Fundus albipunctatus and other flecked retina syndromes.

Background: Several ophthalmic conditions manifest a flecked retina. Developing an understanding of their clinical presentations will enable the practitioner to most appropriately manage these conditions.

Case Report: A 27-year-old Middle Eastern woman manifested flecked retinas and nyctalopia.

Effect of ovariohysterectomy on maintenance energy requirement in cats.

Objective: To determine whether maintenance energy requirement (MER) to maintain stable body weight (BW) is substantially lower for spayed female cats than for sexually intact female cats and to assess whether an equation commonly used to estimate MER would accurately predict caloric need in spayed cats.

Design: Prospective study.

Animals: 10 spayed and 5 sham-operated young adult female cats.

Congenital ocular motor apraxia with torsional oscillations: a case report.

Congenital ocular motor apraxia (C-OMA) is an infrequently reported eye movement disorder associated with malformation or delayed maturation of the brain. Patients with C-OMA are unable to initiate voluntary horizontal saccades. This results in characteristic head thrusts into the desired field of gaze to compensate for the lack of saccadic ability.

Comparison of intra-articular and epidural morphine for analgesia following stifle arthrotomy in dogs.

We prospectively studied 18 dogs that presented for exploratory stifle arthrotomy, with or without meniscectomy, and lateral extracapsular stabilization as a result of cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Dogs were premedicated with acepromazine, induced with thiopental, and maintained with halothane in oxygen. Preoperatively, dogs were assigned to one of three groups.

Biomechanical evaluation of a toggle pin technique for management of coxofemoral luxation.

Toggle pin stabilization is an accepted technique for the management of coxofemoral (CF) luxation in dogs. The purpose of this study was to determine, in vitro, the respective contributions of several aspects of toggle pin repair to the overall stability of fixation. Factors evaluated were the manner and frequency with which toggle pins oriented on insertion, effect of orientation on toggle pin strength, effect of suture type on ligament prosthesis strength and load sustained by the fixation, and comparison of repair using a modified toggle design to that of capsulorrhaphy.

Ocular manifestations of Sotos syndrome.

Background: Sotos syndrome (cerebral gigantism) is a congenital syndrome characterized by large body size for patient age, advanced bone age, and unusual facial characteristics with varying levels of cognitive, developmental and perceptual deficits. While more than 150 cases have been reported, only a single case report has been published in the ophthalmic literature. This study briefly reviews the pertinent aspects of this syndrome and reports on the medical, physical, developmental and ocular manifestations of 32 subjects.

Measuring the clinical appropriateness of the use of a procedure. Can we do it?

Increasing attention is being paid to data on geographic differences in population-based rates of use of medical and surgical procedures. To understand these differences and to determine what level of use is appropriate, a method is needed to judge the clinical appropriateness of services. We recently developed and tested such a method in two large, urban geographic areas.

Obtaining clinical data on the appropriateness of medical care in community practice.

We sought the voluntary cooperation of a randomly selected sample of community physicians and hospitals in five states for a study of how appropriately they performed coronary angiography, carotid endarterectomy, and upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy. Ninety percent of 913 sampled physicians (n = 819) consented to a review of up to 20 of their 1981 Medicare patients' records. These physicians represented seven different specialties and subspecialties and performed 4988 procedures, 92% of the desired sample.